Pigs & Tomatoes - 1861 Houston Expedition
36th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment, Company B.
Portraying the men of the 36th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment as they would have appeared during the 1861 Houston Campaign.
The 36th Illinois Volunteers were officially mustered in as a Regiment on September 23, 1861, but had began forming in early August at Camp Hammond near Aurora, Illinois. After leaving Camp Hammond, the 36th took a paddle boat down the Mississippi to St. Louis. It is very probable that they stopped in Grafton and picked up a few more men as several members of Co. H. came from nearby Jersey County, even though nearly the entire regiment was raised near Aurora, IL and was mainly northern Illinois men.
The following men were from Grafton:
Of the original 6 from Grafton, only 3 would come home. In September of 1861, the regiment left St. Louis for Rolla, Missouri, where they would stay through January of 1862. It was during this period that the regiment would participate in several scouting actions, including the one represented in this album, which was taken to Texas County, Missouri and known as the Houston Expedition.
They would take part in action at Pea Ridge, Perryville, Stone’s River, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, the Atlanta Campaign, Franklin, and Nashville. At the special request of General Sheridan, the 36th Illinois was detailed for headquarters and other special duty, thereby receiving from other troops the sobriquet, "Sheridan's pet". The Regiment did special duty quelling disturbances, guarding paymasters and conveying rebel archives captured in the West to Washington, D.C., until October 8, on which date it was mustered out of service and proceeded to Springfield, Ill., received pay, and disbanded October 27, 1865.
In general engagements alone the 36th Illinois Infantry Regiment lost in killed and wounded over 700 men. It was reinforced by 221 recruits and drafted men. It marched and was transported by rail and boat over 10,000 miles during its term of service, Changed commanding officers ten times, yet it maintained throughout its term of service the esprit de corps of its original organization.
Regiment lost during service; 11 Officers and 193 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 Officer and 127 Enlisted men by disease. Total of 332.
The 36th Illinois Volunteers were officially mustered in as a Regiment on September 23, 1861, but had began forming in early August at Camp Hammond near Aurora, Illinois. After leaving Camp Hammond, the 36th took a paddle boat down the Mississippi to St. Louis. It is very probable that they stopped in Grafton and picked up a few more men as several members of Co. H. came from nearby Jersey County, even though nearly the entire regiment was raised near Aurora, IL and was mainly northern Illinois men.
The following men were from Grafton:
- Pvt. Benjamin Allen - POW, survived the war.
- Pvt. Samuel Foster - Discharged in 64.
- Cpl. Madison Gould - Signed on as a Veteran in 64.
- Died in September of that same year from wounds.
- Sgt. Wilson Lawson - Killed at Kennesaw Mountain. His body was never found.
- Pvt. Allen Picket - Discharged in 64. Pvt. Orrin Picket - Died in March of 62 at Leetown of wounds.
Of the original 6 from Grafton, only 3 would come home. In September of 1861, the regiment left St. Louis for Rolla, Missouri, where they would stay through January of 1862. It was during this period that the regiment would participate in several scouting actions, including the one represented in this album, which was taken to Texas County, Missouri and known as the Houston Expedition.
They would take part in action at Pea Ridge, Perryville, Stone’s River, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, the Atlanta Campaign, Franklin, and Nashville. At the special request of General Sheridan, the 36th Illinois was detailed for headquarters and other special duty, thereby receiving from other troops the sobriquet, "Sheridan's pet". The Regiment did special duty quelling disturbances, guarding paymasters and conveying rebel archives captured in the West to Washington, D.C., until October 8, on which date it was mustered out of service and proceeded to Springfield, Ill., received pay, and disbanded October 27, 1865.
In general engagements alone the 36th Illinois Infantry Regiment lost in killed and wounded over 700 men. It was reinforced by 221 recruits and drafted men. It marched and was transported by rail and boat over 10,000 miles during its term of service, Changed commanding officers ten times, yet it maintained throughout its term of service the esprit de corps of its original organization.
Regiment lost during service; 11 Officers and 193 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 Officer and 127 Enlisted men by disease. Total of 332.
